Div. 3 Boys Lacrosse: Uphill battle for Old Rochester in loss to Watertown

Thursday

May 30, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 30, 2013 at 12:08 AM

MARION — For lacrosse teams on the SouthCoast, it's still an uphill climb to reach the level of play showcased by many of the squads in the Greater Boston area.

DEREK VITAL

MARION — For lacrosse teams on the SouthCoast, it's still an uphill climb to reach the level of play showcased by many of the squads in the Greater Boston area.

The 13th-seeded Old Rochester boys learned that lesson the hard way on Wednesday, falling to No. 20 Watertown 13-3 in opening round action of the Division 3 East sectional.

The Red Raiders will face No. 4 Canton in the second round at a date and time to be determined.

Head coach Erich Carroll hopes the Bulldogs (11-6) are able to elevate their level of play so that they can compete against the strong programs located to the north.

"It's good if we learn from it and try to grow from it, but if we don't learn anything from it then it doesn't help out too much," said Carroll. "I'm hoping these guys figure it out."

Watertown sophomore attacker Anthony Busconi got the scoring started in the opening minutes of the first quarter. He fired a shot past ORR goalie Gerald Lanagan to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs tied it up with 8:07 left in the opening quarter when senior attacker Cam Severino snuck a left-handed shot into the back of the Watertown net. The rest of the quarter was dominated by the Red Raiders, who reeled off six more goals, two apiece by Busconi and Donny Loprete and single tallies by Joey Kelland and Chris Fidler to take a 7-1 lead.

Old Rochester senior midfielder Chris Marchisio netted the Bulldogs' second goal in the opening minute of the second quarter. Sophomore teammate Ryan Manning was credited with the assist.

Watertown responded with four more tallies in the first half, including three straight from Joey Farrar. The Red Raiders (11-8) held an 11-2 advantage at the break.

The Red Raiders' aggressive zone defense limited ORR's scoring opportunities, making it difficult for the Bulldogs to mount a comeback.

"They doubled us very quick and made it hard to get the passes off," said Carroll. "They're a solid team. Their record didn't indicate how good they are. They're battle-tested."

With the game in hand, the Red Raiders only scored a pair of goals in the second half. ORR's final score came with a man advantage. Severino did the honors, following a nifty spin move and shot past Watertown goalie Christian D'Amico.

GAME PLAYED AT TABOR: With the ORR field underwater following early morning rain, the game was moved to Tabor Academy. The field turf surface made for a fast track and allowed the highly-skilled Watertown team to move the ball into the offensive end very quickly. "There's no unfair bounces here," said Carroll. "The better team is going to win on a field like this. That's what happened today."

ORR RETURNS STRONG NUCLEUS: With only five seniors on the roster, the Bulldogs have an experienced squad coming back for the 2014 season. The losses are big however, including both goal scorers in the tourney defeat — Severino and Marchisio. Defense should be a strong suit for ORR next season with Lanagan, a junior, returning. "We've got some guys coming back," said Carroll. "We'll have to develop some skill positions on offense, but we have a very solid defense returning."

STRONG PEDIGREE FOR WATERTOWN: The Red Raiders entered the postseason with a 10-8 record, but they play in the Middlesex League, which features powerhouses Lexington and Winchester. Many of their games came against quality opponents from Division 1 and 2. Carroll realizes that lacrosse is still in its infancy in the region, but hopes ORR continues improving its level of play so that the Bulldogs can compete with these squads come tourney time. "Lacrosse is new down here," said Carroll. "It's growing, but we're not where it is inside 495 yet."